The present invention generally relates to tilting in a patient positioning system. In particular, the present invention relates to a heavy duty tilt mechanism for a patient positioning system.
Patient positioning platforms allow a medical practitioner, such as a doctor, nurse or technician, to position a patient during a medical procedure, such as XR, CT, EBT, nuclear, and PET procedures. Patient positioning platforms, such as tables or other supports, allow a patient to be elevated, moved in lateral and longitudinal directions, rotated and/or tilted during a procedure. Patient positioning platforms improve a medical practitioner's ability to examine and/or perform a medical procedure on a patient.
There is a need for an improved patient positioning platform that may be used in angiography, neurology, and cardiac procedures. Current patient positioner platforms may introduce limitations in obtaining images of blood flow in arteries, heart, lungs, or brain, for example. Thus, a patient positioning system that improves stability and reliable positioning for blood flow imaging in angiography, neurology, cardiac and other such procedures would be highly desirable. Additionally, a patient positioning system that provides reliable and easy positioning of a patient with flexibility to accommodate a variety of medical procedures and emergencies would be highly desirable.
An improved patient positioning platform is capable of tilting a patient to position the patient for a medical procedure. A heavy load may be applied to a patient positioning platform during tilt. Thus, a heavy moment load may be placed on a tilt mechanism of a patient positioning platform. Therefore, a patient positioning platform with an improved tilt mechanism capable of handling a heavy load on the patient positioning platform would be highly desirable.
Additionally, space in an operating room is at a premium with added equipment, a patient positioning platform, and room for a doctor to operate and move around the patient. Therefore, a patient positioning platform and tilt mechanism that are compact in size would be highly desirable. Furthermore, a tilt mechanism that is easily usable would be highly desirable.
Thus, a need exists for an improved method and apparatus for tilting in a patient positioning platform.